Animals

I. Notice the use of words ‘turn’ in the first line, “I think I could turn and live with animals…”. What is the poet turning from?Ans. The poet is turning from human beings when he finds them complicated and false. He likes to live with animals because he feels more at home with them.

2. Mention three things that humans do and animals don’t.Ans. Humans complain about their condition. They remain awake at night repenting of their sins. They make us sick discussing their duty to God. Animals don’t do any of these things.

3. Do human beings kneel to other humans who lived thousands of years ago?
Ans.Yes, we kneel to human beings who lived thousands of years ago. We remember and worship those great souls in different fields who made man what he is today.

4. What are ‘tokens’ that the poet says he may have dropped
long ago and which the animals have kept for him?
Ans. These ‘tokens’ are those qualities, values and virtues which man had when he lived in the lap of nature. These qualities are simplicity, innocence, contentment, etc. But civilisation has made false to his own true nature. He has become materialistic and bade good-bye to those virtues and values. Now animals possess these qualities instead of man.